


Confession in Fail Major

by Clarounette



Series: Tuesday Creative Chat [6]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) RPF
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-29
Updated: 2013-08-29
Packaged: 2017-12-25 00:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/946490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clarounette/pseuds/Clarounette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Five Times Michael Serenaded James With Cheesy Love Songs, and One Time James Fell For His Sappy Ass”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Confession in Fail Major

**First time: My bottle and I miss you**

“Hello?” said a sleepy voice on the other end of the phone.

“Well, I’ve been haunted in my sleep  
You’ve been starring in my dreams  
Lord I miss you  
I’ve been waiting in the hall…”

“Who is it?”

“Been waiting on your call  
When the phone rings  
It’s just some friends of mine that say,  
"Hey, what’s the matter man?  
We’re gonna come around at twelve…”

“Michael? Is that you?”

“With some Puerto Rican girls that are just dyin’ to meet you.  
We’re gonna bring a case of wine  
Hey, let’s go mess and fool around  
You know, like we used to”…”

“Go to sleep, Michael. You’re drunk.” James hung up.

Michael stared at the blurry cellphone. It said 2:36am in big flashy letters on the screen. Damn yes, he was drunk. Loneliness and a bottle of whiskey didn’t go well together. They were supposed to start filming again in a couple of months, but it was so far in the future. He wanted James now. Well, not like that. But you know what he meant.

And when he called the next morning – while nursing his hangover with a large cup of black coffee – to apologize, James was kind enough to agree to forget.

 

**Second time: Let me comfort you**

James’s frown was hard to look at.

“Something the matter?” Michael asked.

James turned from his cellphone. He looked devastated. There was a recent picture of him on his screen, with hair extensions and beard, his full Charles-look. “They don’t like it.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

James sighed. “They hate the beard and the hair. My fans. They say it’s ugly.”

How anyone could think of James as ugly was beyond Michael. James was attractive. One could say he was pretty. His features were both delicate and masculine. Even a – more or less – straight guy like Michael could see that, and appreciate it.

A spur of the moment, he started to sing:

“You are so beautiful to me  
Can’t you see  
You’re everything I hoped for  
You’re everything I need  
You are so beautiful to me  
Such joy and happiness you bring  
Such joy and happiness you bring  
Like a dream  
A guiding light that shines in the night  
Heavens gift to me…”

Smiling, James tapped on Michael’s shoulder. “You silly!”

Michael moaned in mock pain, then laughed. “It’s the truth, though! Come on, forget them. Let’s have some fun.”

James’s illuminated face was worth the bruise on his arm he discovered the next day – James was stronger than he had thought.

 

**Third time: When in doubt, sing it!**

It was actually fun. A cold beer, a billiard cue, friends… Heaven could wait.

“Your turn,” Nicholas said. The young man had come with James. He seemed quite happy to spend some time with them.

“The 6, in the corner.” Michael had been whispering for a while: the pub was broadcasting really good music, and he couldn’t help but sing along. Maybe a bit ashamed of his last bursts into song, he was singing low so no one could hear him.

“… you sparkle, and…”

“What did you say?” James asked.

Shoot, maybe he hadn’t sung that low this time. “Corner?”

“No, after that.”

The hell with it. Michael started to sing in earnest, looking straight into James’s eyes.

“… more than the wine.  
And he must do something that I didn’t do.  
Whatever he’s doing, it looks good on you.  
You look so good in love.  
You want him, that’s easy to see.  
You look so good in love.  
And I wish you still wanted me.”

James blushed. Has he put too much heart in the song? It was a lovely song after all.

“Yeah, well…” Nicholas stuttered, “you just missed your ball, Michael.”

 

**Fourth time: Shake your body to the tune**

Already the end. Two months? So little time with his friends. With James. How long will it be until the next movie? Will there be a third movie? He didn’t know.

And it wasn’t the right time to think about it. It was party time! Singer had done a great job organizing the festivities: food, booze, music, games, booze… Did he mention booze? Because Michael was dead drunk right now, and James wasn’t far behind. Jokes and puns had gone from bad to worse. Their last prank had consisted of pouring salt in Jennifer’s juice.

Suddenly, Michael burst: “I love that song!”

He ran to the little podium in the room, followed by a laughing James. He grabbed the mic.

“Sweet dream, saccharine, loosen up  
I loosen up  
You gotta squeeze a little, squeeze a little, tease a little more  
Easy operator come a knockin’ on my door  
Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet.”

He stared all along at James, adding suggestive poses and winks.

When they all talked about it the next day, he couldn’t remember. But something in his heart told him that, yes, he had flirted with James outrageously on rather explicit lyrics. And somehow it felt right.

 

**Fifth time: Love song**

Was it too late? It had taken the end of filming to realize that in 24 hours, he wouldn’t see James anymore, and that he would miss him. A lot. Too much for his feelings to be of friendship. He was very much in love with his co-star. Pure and simple. And he had to confess before they were both gone to their next movie.

He stood in front of James’s hotel room, sweating and shaking. Afraid. He knocked.

James opened: “Oh, Michael! Nice to see you!”

Michael didn’t think much. Impulse was his middle name. He started to sing:

“And do you want to find  
Something worth saving  
The change would do me right  
Cause I’ve been just waiting  
And hesitating  
With this heart of mine  
You’re still a mystery  
But there’s something so easy  
In how you’re sweet to me  
I feel completed  
Like it’s something I needed  
For this heart of mine  
There’s always something so tragic  
About a hopeless romantic…”

“Stop!” James said. He looked serious. And sad. Oh no… “Look, I appreciate your feelings. And I… kind of feel the same way…”

There was some hope!

“But I don’t want a relationship with another actor. Long distance, competition… Too much of a hassle. I’d rather be your friend.”

Without a word, Michael turned around and walked down the hallway, dejected.

James was calling him. He didn’t answer.

 

**Sixth time: The sound of music**

Michael sat on the sidewalk and looked at his feet. So much for hope. How could he have thought even one second that he had a chance? Again a song came to his mind, but this one wasn’t so happy.

“I had tender feelings that you made hard  
But it’s your heart, not mine, that’s scarred  
So when I go home I’ll be happy to go  
You’re just somebody that I used to know.”

Trust Elliott Smith to help you in the bad moments.

“Michael?”

Michael wipped his eyes – that were wet, for some reason – and turned. “It’s okay, don’t worry. It’ll pass.”

James sat at his side and stared at the desert street. The night was warm but James shuddered. “Look, I’ve made a mistake.”

“What do you mean?” Michael asked.

“I… Maybe I want to try?”

“You’re saying…”

“Yes, that I’m ready to try that long distance, competitive relationship. If you’re still okay?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Michael jumped on James and kissed him.

And the rest, as they say, is history,

“The story of you and me  
For all eternity.”

**Author's Note:**

> Credits for the songs:  
> Miss you, The Rolling Stones  
> You are so beautiful, Joe Cocker  
> You look so good in love, George Strait  
> Pour some sugar on me, Def Leppard  
> Heart of mine, Peter Salett  
> Somebody that I used to know, Elliott Smith  
> The rest is history, LeAnn Rimes


End file.
